Rino blasts Domenech
Italy's hardman midfielder Gennaro Gattuso launched a scathing attack on France coach Raymond Domenech in an interview with Sky Sport TV on Wednesday.
There is no love lost between the two European heavyweights, even less so since Domenech came to the France helm and has delighted in taunting the Italians.
The Italians, though, had the last laugh over him when they triumphed on penalties in the 2006 World Cup final in a shootout missing then France captain Zinedine Zidane, who had been sent off for head-butting Marco Materazzi in extra-time.
Looking ahead to Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, Gattuso lamented the world champions' tough draw - they are paired with France (just as they were for the qualifiers), the Netherlands and Romania in the 'group of death' - but also blasted Domenech.
"We're very unlucky to come up against a great team like France," he said. "Then there's a character like Domenech who always manages to start a row, stirring up trouble between these two countries.
"Domenech does this because he's always suffered painful blows, whether in the under-21s, from the time of Cesare Maldini and (Marco) Tardelli (in the early 1990s), or with the national team.
"The one sure thing is that he's got something against us. Every time he opens his mouth about our football, our way of life, our country, he never says anything nice or pleasant."
Looking forward to the Euro championships, Gattuso is wary of his team getting big-headed as world champions.
"The reality is we've got to live each day as it comes because history has shown us that when we think about winning a competition, we always go home early," he said.
"I always get goose bumps when I think about playing in the European Championships against France, the Netherlands and Romania. It motivates you and makes you want to train as hard as possible."
Italy begin their campaign against the Netherlands in Berne on June 9 and finish their group encounters with a crunch clash against France in Zurich on June 17.
In between they face Romania in Zurich on June 13.
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